PAP responds to WP's claim that its proposals adopted 'in some form' by govt

The People's Action Party (PAP) has responded to a claim by the Workers' Party (WP) that more than a dozen proposals it put forward were eventually adopted "in some form" by the government.

On Apr. 16, the WP put up a Facebook post listing 15 proposals across various topics, such as housing, employment, healthcare and scams.

In its post, WP wrote:

"While we are not in government – and therefore not in a position to implement policy – we believe that many of our proposals do end up being adopted in some form, which ultimately benefits Singaporeans. Constructive, rational opposition works for Singapore."

PAP: Our MPs have raised WP's suggestions before

Petir, the PAP's publication, pointed out that many of the ideas raised by the WP had, in fact, been raised by PAP MPs and others years earlier.

The PAP also listed the 15 proposals in another article to show when exactly its own MPs had discussed them.

The PAP wrote:

"Unlike opposition parties elsewhere who habitually highlight government failures, the WP touts its alignment with PAP’s successes instead.

They agree so much with the PAP, they claim our policies came from them. Imitation, as they say, is the sincerest form of flattery."

PAP: If we had accepted WP's proposals, the consequences would have been worse

For example, the PAP said its own MPs had been calling for increased and more flexible parental leave as early as 2008, predating the WP's manifesto in 2020.

The party also highlighted how one of their MPs, Carrie Tan, had put forward a proposal for interim rental subsidy for families in financial hardship in 2022, ahead of WP MP Louis Chua in 2023.

The ruling party also said that if it had accepted the WP's proposals, the consequences would be more "severe".

Here, it cited the WP's proposal on Build-To-Order (BTO) flats.

The PAP noted that in 2023, the WP had urged the government to reduce BTO waiting times.

This meant that the WP had "conveniently" overlooked its 2019 call to slow construction as the resale market for HDB in 2019 was "soft", the PAP wrote.

The PAP then said it was fortunate they did not heed the WP's proposal to build no more than 9,000 BTO flats annually.

"Had we accepted the WP’s suggestion, the shortfall during the Covid period, when construction came to a halt, would have been far worse and the waiting times for BTO flats would have got far longer."

SM Lee: Nobody has a monopoly of good ideas

In a press conference on Apr. 19, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong responded to questions on WP's manifesto.

"Nobody has a monopoly of good ideas. The government doesn't have a monopoly of good ideas, neither does the opposition."

“Some of them, after we have done it, they claim credit for. And to be fair to them, along the way, they have pushed for it. Sometimes we decide to do it, sometimes we have independently made up our minds earlier and implemented,” he added.

“I would say, taken as a whole, the PAP manifesto, programme and record is what Singaporeans can trust.”

Pritam Singh: Have not seen PAP's post yet

In response to media queries, the leader of the WP, Pritam Singh, said he had not seen the PAP's post, CNA reported.

He was further quoted as saying:

"But indeed, I also recall them saying that good ideas can come from anywhere, and I would say good ideas have come from the Workers’ Party as well. I’ll leave it at that."

Top photo via The Worker's Party/Facebook